by Staff WritersJakarta (AFP) Feb 4, 2011
A rare Sumatran tiger attacked and killed a man on southern Sumatra island, a conservationist said on Friday, underlining the growing problem of human-animal conflict in Indonesia.

The tiger mauled the 52-year-old as he was working in a plantation area in Banyung Lincir of Jambi province, said human-animal conflict management coordinator Nurazman, who goes by one name.

"Locals found his body with his head and arms ripped apart," he told AFP of Tuesday's attack.

Human-animal conflicts are growing as forests are destroyed for timber or to make way for crops, forcing animals such as tigers and elephants into closer contact with people.

Tigers were blamed for the deaths of an Indonesian farmer in October, a palm oil worker in September and a rubber plantation farmer in August, all on Sumatra island.

There are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, according to the environmental group WWF.

Innovation Of The Week: Giving Farmers A Reason To StayWashington DC (SPX) Feb 02, 2011While the coast of The Gambia is a popular-and economically thriving- tourist destination for European vacationers, the inland portion of the country provides little means for young men to make a living. Many leave their villages for the coast or even other countries, in hopes of making more money in urban areas.
This economic disparity within The Gambia, coupled with its agricultural pote ... read more

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